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Suppliers get their questions answered on new Carbon Reduction Plans

On 5 June 2021 Cabinet Office published Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/21 ‘Taking account of carbon reduction plans in the procurement of major government contracts’. The PPN applies to all central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in England. 

The PPN details how greenhouse gas emissions and suppliers’ Carbon Reduction Policy will need to be reported when procuring goods, services, and/or works with an anticipated contract value above £5 million per annum.

The events were a success with a lot of attendees, loads of great questions and, more interestingly, no negative reactions. It became apparent that UK suppliers have embraced the spirit of this PPN and that they are ready for the reporting. 

The main points that they raised were that they were not sure how or when it was going to be done, or even what was going to be asked from them. A number of questions were raised in order to ascertain the correct information that was needed or how to obtain that information.

The seven events were recorded and are available at the links below along with answers to the questions received.

Question and answer documents

PPN 06/21 Links

PPN 06/21 – Taking Account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts

Guidance on adopting and applying PPN 06/21: Selection criteria

Technical standard for completion of Carbon Reduction Plans

PPN 0621: Frequently Asked Questions

Spend recovery for UK universities

The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been felt all across the public sector, but some universities have been particularly hard hit. With reduced numbers of international students enrolling in September 2020, as well as lost revenue from accommodation, and disruption to research work, universities are facing a challenging academic year ahead.

We have helped many universities to win back lost revenue through our Spend Analysis & Recovery Services solution, now available under lots 15-19 of our Debt Resolution Services (RM6226) framework. Through reviews of accounts payable and utilities spending our framework suppliers have in some cases been able to recover an average of £60,000 for our higher education sector customers. More savings can also be leveraged by reviewing telecoms and temporary staff spending. 

Spend recovery through CCS has never been easier:

  • suppliers conduct their audits on a strict no-win-no-fee basis, meaning that there are no charges at all to pay until you receive the financial benefit of the audit
  • work is conducted remotely and all data analysis and recovery activity is conducted exclusively by the supplier
  • suppliers are sensitive to the uncertainties of the current financial climate and the scope of reviews can be tailored to exclude suppliers that may be struggling financially

All you have to do is provide suppliers with the base data needed for the review – it’s that simple.

For more information about what our Spend Analysis & Recovery Services solution can offer you, visit our web page or email to get in touch with our category team.

The Department for Work and Pensions tackles increasing unemployment using construction framework

The requirement

As unemployment in the UK reached a 5 year high as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, figures showed that unemployment rates would continue to rise; particularly after the furlough scheme had ended. With this in mind, it was evident that people across the UK needed support with retraining and accessing benefits such as universal credit and getting back to work. The DWP was therefore given the task, of expanding its face-to-face job centre offer to handle this demand and help tackle this expected unemployment crisis.  

The solution

As we approached the end of the furlough scheme and the planned lifting of lock-down, the DWP needed a rapid procurement response. Working in collaboration with our construction category team, the DWP created a Rapid Estates Expansion Programme, as the project spanned across 130 sites and therefore required deep framework capability.

To source an appropriate framework which could offer a rapid awards process, the DWP used our Construction Works and Associated Services (CWAS) framework. This framework helps the entire public sector to deliver a wide range of major and minor building and civil engineering projects of all values for the public sector. 

CWAS has a UK wide capability, which enabled the DWP to source everything they needed under one framework. They had up to 38 principal contractors available via the CWAS framework, demonstrating the necessary capacity for a programme of this scale. CWAS was able to provide all aspects of fit-out for the job centres, including lighting, fixtures and fittings, desks and chairs. 

The DWP ensured they incorporated social value into their procurement using themes from the Procurement Policy Note PPN 6/20. They focused on suppliers who recruited the unemployed as well as those who used apprenticeships and resilience in the supply chain. They also included metrics for suppliers to report on things like the number of new startups, small and medium sized enterprises, voluntary community and social enterprises and mutuals. They phrased the questions, so that as well as some concrete outcomes in line with some specific metrics, they didn’t stifle innovation. It also gave suppliers the opportunity to provide some really good suggestions that could also be put into practice. 

The results

There were a number of key success points which demonstrated the value of the Rapid Expansion Estates Programme. 

Firstly, soft-market engagement directly informed the commercial approach along with the client’s understanding of supplier scheduling capability, supply chain capacity at tier 2 (mid tier contractors who play a major role in the construction industry) and tier 3 (contractors for smaller or medium sized projects). This was accelerated by the use of pre-drafted documents which we supported DWP with.

In addition, the CWAS framework coverage and lotting structure reduced the overall procurement costs for the DWP. This was due to the standardisation of the contractor appointment process, standardisation of commercial documents and a single point of contact which we offered for additional support and guidance. 

The wide choice of call-off contracts also facilitated the use of the NEC4 Term Service Contract which helped drive contracting efficiency, using fixed schedules of rates with pre-established overhead, profit and people costs. There were also shared learnings from across the rapid, early-delivered parts of the programme which helped to feed forward into upcoming works. 

This programme also helped to reduce a number of risks, including:

  • the framework helped mitigate the risk of delay as suppliers had already been vetted on things like capability, health and safety, and insurance, which helped saved DWP a lot of time
  • pre-established rapid appointment criteria emphasised quality and reduced commercial friction
  • standardised boilerplate clauses and dealing with common public procurement amendments reduced time spent on contractual review for both client and contractors
  • we collaborated extensively with DWP via “critical friend” review of commercial documents, smoothing the tender process

Claire Thomas, Senior Category Manager at the DWP said:

We have worked closely with CCS on the delivery of our Rapid Estates Expansion Programme. The team has worked with us very collaboratively, prioritising the timely procurement of contractors for these vital works.

Let us bring power to your procurement

Our Construction Works and Associated Services framework provides a wide range of major and minor building and civil engineering projects.  

To find out how we can help you make smart buying decisions for your construction needs:

Tyres, Glass and Fast Fit Solutions – flexible fleet maintenance

Is your organisation’s fleet in peak condition – fully maintained and using quality products and services?

Fleet managers need to operate a safe and efficient fleet, maintained in optimum condition, to keep vehicles on the road and delivering those vital public services.

To do this, there are policy and legislative targets to consider, supply chain constraints and there is always the need to deliver value for money.

Our new framework, Tyres, Glass and Fast Fit Solutions is here to help. It offers a one-stop shop for fleet maintenance, so you can be sure you’re getting quality products and services at the best possible price.

A new framework that offers more 

Our new framework includes our usual offer for tyres but with some important additions.

As a result of extensive stakeholder engagement and market research, carried out with a wide range of suppliers and customers across different sectors, the new agreement is designed to meet all of your fleet maintenance needs.

Products and services include:

  • new fast-fit products and services
  • new tyre management service; selection, inspection and policy plans
  • extra lot for vehicle glass
  • small items such as wipers, bulbs and oils
  • larger equipment such as batteries, brakes and exhausts
  • planned servicing and MOTs
  • diagnostics and repairs

Helping you meet social value obligations

It’s proven that better driving habits can reduce emissions. Smoother driving results in better air quality and prevents accidents, helping to relieve pressure on local emergency services and NHS.

It’s for this reason that all suppliers on our framework are required to be a member of the Driving for Better Business programme. This means you can be safe in the knowledge that your suppliers are demonstrating leadership in the management of work-related road risk while helping your organisation meet Carbon Net Zero by 2035.

Pick and mix from a flexible framework

Tyres, Glass and Fast Fit Solutions is a flexible one-stop shop for fleet operators. Maybe you maintain your vehicles in-house and just want to source tyres and glass. Or you may be looking for compliant and value-for-money, complementary vehicle consumables and services.

Whatever your needs – whether you want to source tyres, glass or vehicle consumables and services – you can pick and mix from the extensive range of products and services available. In doing so, you can be sure you’re getting the right products, at the right price and helping to keep your fleet safe and on the road.

Our fleet team is here to help

We are here to help select the most suitable products and services for your requirements, to keep your fleet on the road and in peak condition.

‘First of its kind’ solution to transform public sector tail spend

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has launched a ‘first of its kind’ new solution to help public and third sector customers get the best deal on the procurement of millions of low value products.

Our Tail Spend Solution will help the public sector to manage and aggregate ‘tail spend’ – low value, ad hoc purchases which are often made from lots of different suppliers. Estimated annual public sector tail spend on goods is currently more than £1 billion.

This is the first time a centralised tail spend solution has been made available to the whole of the UK public and third sectors.

The benefits

Tail Spend Solution will support public sector buyers to spend less time and money on invoicing, increase visibility and control of ‘hidden’ spend, and improve spend data.

Mercateo Unite and OT Group are launching CCS’s Tail Spend Solution framework on their online platforms on 26 January 2022 – opening up public sector procurement to a large supply chain of small and medium-sized suppliers, offering millions of products at market-leading prices.

Simon Tse, Chief Executive Officer of CCS says:

Tail Spend Solution is the first of its kind – a new agreement that supports the public sector to take control of its ad hoc purchases, aggregating the spending power of the UK public sector as we build back better.

There is wide agreement across the public sector that tail spend is an under-managed and often overlooked area of spend that is increasingly important for organisations to deal with.

Use of self-serve, modern technology and aggregation to create efficiencies and empower staff outside of commercial functions is critical for buyers who wish to improve their delivery of commercial benefits beyond just focusing on the largest contracts.

Our customers

Schools, charities, the NHS and other public sector and third sector organisations will be able to purchase IT peripherals, office and janitorial supplies, educational resources, musical instruments, camera equipment and other non-safety critical products through the online platforms.

Tail spend is often invisible until purchases appear in an organisation’s end of year accounts, and these can cause significant budget pressures if not controlled properly. CCS’s Tail Spend Solution will allow public and third sector customers to bring this spend under control.

The solution was developed after extensive engagement with CCS’s public and third sector customers and the supply market.

Find out more

Please visit our agreements page to find out more about the new Tail Spend Solution framework.

Our new ‘sustainable’ transport technology agreement launched

 

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has awarded a new agreement for transport management technology – with a dedicated lot for sustainable transport solutions and key improvements to service delivery.

The re-branded Transport Technology and Associated Services [RM6099] agreement builds and expands on the success of our Traffic Management Technology 2 framework, due to expire at the end of the month, to include capability not only for traffic but also aviation, rail and marine.

The new agreement will continue to deliver core services and products such as transport professional services, ANPR, pedestrian control solutions and signage and lighting, but there will be a much stronger focus on sustainable technology. Customers can now procure smart traffic management technologies to tackle air pollution, vehicle charging solutions as well as hydrogen and intelligent transportation systems (i.e autonomous vehicles), through a dedicated sustainable transport technologies lot. 

It is just one of a range of solutions from CCS designed to help our customers with decarbonisation across their procurement portfolio. 

For the first time, our customers will also be able to procure state of the art software for asset data capture, processing and exchange services and geographic information systems (GIS).  

Transport Technology and Associated Services will go live on 26 October 2021 and run for 4 years. Call-off contract durations can be from 2 to 7 years depending on which Lot is used.

Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Technology Procurement Officer, Crown Commercial Service says of the new sustainable transport technology agreement: 

With many government initiatives focused on decarbonisation, carbon net zero, the shift to electric vehicles, improving air quality and tackling congestion, it is necessary for the transport sector to adjust and play their part in supporting these projects. This replacement framework truly reflects and represents their expectations and provides the platform for the country to build back greener.

It is yet another example of how CCS is working with customers to help them overcome their carbon net zero challenges.

Helping customers establish ‘Clean Air Zones’

Across the UK, smart traffic management technology is helping tackle many sources of air pollution by incentivising and regulating driver behaviour. It’s also being used to create Clean Air Zones (CAZ). 

The new framework will provide monitoring and enforcement solutions – enabling customers to procure high definition licence plate recognition ANPR cameras that record which vehicle has travelled through the CAZ so that charges can be issued as appropriate.

Innovations

  • The lots have been simplified and reduced down from 15 to 7. The new structure reduces the need for customers to separate their requirements across multiple lots.
  • All suppliers are automatically added to Lot 7 (catalogue), making it quicker and easier for them to upload products and for customers to purchase low value items.
  • The scope of the framework has been expanded to include aviation, marine and rail to appeal to a broader target audience and support cross industry innovation.
  • A move to public sector contracting terms and conditions to create an easier, more flexible route to market and tailored for the customer specific operational needs
  • A new dedicated Sustainable Transport Technologies (Lot 5) has been introduced. 
  • The new agreement aims to build on the progress made on making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to become suppliers. It includes 77 suppliers, 44% of which are SMEs. This is compared to 30% SME suppliers for Traffic Management Technology 2.

Lotting structure

The lots will comprise:

Lot 1 – Transport Professional Services

Lot 2 – Transport & Pedestrian Control

Lot 3 – Transport Signage & Lighting

Lot 4 – Transport Data Services

Lot 5 – Sustainable Transport Technologies

Lot 6 – Major Transport Solutions

Lot 7 – Catalogue

Find out more

To find out more about our new sustainable transport technology agreement watch our on demand webinar, visit the agreement webpage or contact the CCS Service Desk at info@crowncommercial.gov.uk or 0345 410 2222.

Don’t forget, you can find a full list of all the commercial agreements we offer, alongside details of how we can help you build policy considerations into your procurement, in our interactive digital brochure.

Our recruitment framework helps the Government Property Agency secure quality candidates across 2 large-scale projects

Background

This case study outlines how the Government Property Agency (GPA) used the Non Clinical Temporary and Fixed Term Staff framework for 2 large-scale recruitment projects across its Financial Business Partnering, Financial Analysis and Financial Accounting teams.

The Government Property Agency is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, with responsibility for ensuring efficient and effective use of government real estate. Acting as an asset manager, landlord, service provider and strategic property advisor, the agency uses its commercial property expertise in supplier negotiations to enhance value both for government and the taxpayer.

GPA needed to recruit for a total of 50 interim and permanent roles, at grades ranging from HEO to Grade 6. Using our RM6160 Non Clinical Temporary and Fixed Term Staff recruitment services framework, recruitment consultancy firm Robertson Bell were appointed to carry out this project.

The framework can be used by all UK public sector bodies including NHS contracting authorities, local government, universities, charities and blue light services. The 6 lots give customers the ability to secure quality candidates regionally and nationally across the UK under a variety of specialisms. The framework is available to NHS organisations as part of the NHS Workforce Alliance portfolio of workforce solutions.

Solution

The team at Robertson Bell spent time with hiring managers from GPA to develop a deep understanding of role profiles, and to consult on and define the type of candidates who would be most effective. They then created a multi-channel recruitment campaign incorporating comprehensive in-house and third-party database searches, plus targeted advertising on specialist sites such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). 

The supplier also went the extra mile to engage hard-to-find candidates that are generally overlooked by traditional recruitment methodologies, by leveraging their consultants’ networks. 

Although faced with complex demands and challenging timelines, the consultants used project management tools to provide full campaign monitoring and transparency at all times.   

Adapting to challenges

As a recently established organisation, the GPA had not yet developed a strong employer brand. Robertson Bell created a compelling employer proposition that enabled them to compete effectively with high-profile organisations recruiting from the same talent pool. 

When the COVID-19 lockdown was implemented part-way through the campaign, the supplier switched quickly and efficiently to a virtual process via their In-Sight video platform. This remote selection process did not compromise the integrity of the experience for either client or candidates.

Outcome

Initial screening was performed by a panel of Robertson Bell consultants to relieve pressure on the GPA hiring managers and quickly identify the most attractive candidates. 

Consultants maintained close communications with candidates throughout the process, managing expectations and minimising the chance of drop-out. As a result, all vacancies were filled with high-quality individuals, in line with the GPA’s diversity targets. 

The supplier also handled the offer management process, providing two-way post interview feedback. 

The interim project team provided GPA hiring managers with a shortlist of candidates, and there was 100% interview attendance. Each role was successfully filled with the preferred candidate. Successful interim candidates were operational within 24-48 hours of appointment. 

Diversity and inclusion

Robertson Bell is well-equipped to help employers meet stringent inclusivity guidelines. For this campaign they reached out to a range of candidates via LinkedIn, engaging with diverse audiences through specialist diversity job boards. CVs were screened and graded by a panel of three diversity-trained consultants. All shortlists were supplied ‘blind’. 

You have the power to make better recruitment decisions

To find out how the CCS recruitment frameworks can help you with your vacancies visit the workforce web page.

For further advice and guidance please complete this short online form, email us or call us on 0345 410 2222.

You can also find a full list of all the commercial agreements we offer, alongside details of how we can help you build policy considerations into your procurement, in our interactive digital brochure.

Managing fleet supply

Market conditions

Supply chain issues for semiconductors are impacting the global production and supply of vehicles. Public sector fleet is not immune, with the purchase and lease of new vehicles delayed in delivery, and vehicle rentals also affected.

The impact is likely to last until, at least the start of 2022, and we set out below an update and guidance on how fleet managers can manage vehicle supply.

What CCS is doing

CCS will continue to monitor the situation across manufacturing, lease, fleet management and rental sectors – liaising with suppliers and key trade bodies on the latest position. 

We are asking our rental suppliers to make more vehicles available for hire, where possible. We are also asking them to prioritise those vehicles needed for operational roles in the public sector and to provide you with regular updates.

Suggestions for fleet operators

Review your vehicle replacement strategy

Consider extending vehicle lease contracts and defer vehicle replacements. Suitable vehicles for extension are those with low mileage and low cost maintenance. 

Engagement with suppliers

If you need to order a new vehicle or to hire a vehicle, let your supplier know that the vehicle is needed as a priority. Be aware of lead times and order any new vehicles in good time.

Make the most of your fleet

Consider which journeys are essential and, where they are, try to make the most of the vehicles you have available. Options could be to meet virtually instead of travelling; to use public transport; or to ask staff to book from your pool of vehicles.

Advice on booking hire vehicles

Give clear guidance to colleagues who book your vehicles. Ask them to hire vehicles only when absolutely necessary and to book early as there is high demand. 

Using grey fleet

In the current situation, you might want to ask your staff to use their own vehicles for business. These vehicles will then become your grey fleet. And, on a temporary basis only, we would support a flexible approach to the usual mileage threshold recommended in our grey fleet policy.

But, when using grey fleet, you must make sure:

  • you have a clear policy on travel and subsistence costs, agreed by your fleet and HR teams
  • you manage safety and cost risks – making sure that grey fleet staff have the relevant vehicle insurances, driver licensing, vehicle maintenance and MOTs. 

Find out more

Sign up to our Fleet newsletter where our experts share the latest fleet news and insights.

If you need any further information on the above please feel free to contact our fleet experts.

Help us evaluate for our new public sector mobile voice and data services framework

Following customer engagement workshops, where we provided an overview of the project and its objectives, we would like to invite you to participate in the evaluation of tender responses from suppliers.

What does evaluation involve?

  • we offer each evaluator guidance and training, provided remotely 
  • you will have at least a month to evaluate responses – we will be using the award system for evaluation and will arrange a short training session (approx 20mins) before 31 March 2022
  • we will give as much notice as possible for both training (at least 3 weeks) and evaluation
  • you will need to attend consensus meetings remotely to discuss and agree on an overall score per response per supplier 
  • currently proposed timescales would mean evaluating selection questions between mid-April and the beginning of May, and evaluating award questions throughout February with consensus between mid May and the end of June
  • the responses you evaluate will depend on your experience and we will let you know:
    • which question you have been assigned to evaluate the responses for
    • how many tender responses there are for that question
    • roughly how much time evaluation should take (both per question and overall)

What are the benefits of evaluating?

  • evaluating enables you to ensure we have quality framework suppliers
  • reading through bidders’ responses gives an understanding of the market, what is possible, current trends and where the given industry is going
  • you will receive a letter from our Sourcing team confirming that you have evaluated responses and detailing the role you played in making the government framework a success – an experience you can add to your CV and use at your end of year performance review

Find out more

If you would like to volunteer or to find out more, email mobile@crowncommercial.gov.uk by 31 January 2022. If you have colleagues or new starters in mind who you think this would be a good experience for, please share this information.